Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a games racket frame, more particularly, but not exclusively, a racket frame for use in tennis, squash or badminton.
Rackets for the games of tennis, squash and badminton need to be stiff, strong and light. Better quality racket frames are now made from composite materials composed of fibres of carbon, glass or aramid (or combinations of these) in a matrix of a thermosetting resin, usually epoxy resin. The fibres are usually in continuous form and are made into sheet material for subsequent processing, either by weaving into a fabric which is then coated with resin or alternatively by assembling the fibres in parallel where they are located together by the adhesive qualities of the resin coating subsequently applied.
Rackets constructed in the above way are generally satisfactory except as regards vibration damping. That is, vibrations occurring in the racket upon impact with a ball or shuttlecock are insufficiently damped, resulting in a shock to the hand and arm of the player.
Consequently, there is a need for a games racket frame having improved vibration damping characteristics.